MAP,  SHOWING  ITS  CONNECTIONS. 


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BY  W.  G.  WHEATON. 


J)  c  o  r  i  a  : 

PRINTED  BY  BENJAMIN  FOSTER. 

1  8  5  6. 


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REPORT 


urorr  the 


PRELIMINARY  SURVEY 


WITH  A 

MAP,  SHOWING*  ITS  CONNECTIONS, 


BY  W.  G.  WHEATON, 


y  c  o  x  i  a  : 

PRINTED  BY  BENJAMIN  FOSTER. 

1  8  56. 


To  the  President  and  Directors  of  the  Illinois  River  Railroad : — 
Gentlemen  :  Having  been  employed  to  make  a  Prelim¬ 
inary  Survey  and  to  estimate  the  cost  of  a  Railroad  from 
the  City  of  Peoria  to  the  City  of  Jacksonville,  and  having 
completed  the  field-work  of  said  survey,  I  submit  to  you 
the  following  Report. 


$25~‘h 

€>3  w 


} 


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4 


\ 


REPORT. 


The  line  upon  which  these  estimates  are  based  starts  at  the  terminus 
of  the  Peoria  and  Bureau  V alley  Railroad,  at  the  centre  of  Bridge 
street  in  the  City  of  Peoria,  and  runs  down  the  northwest  side,  and 
parallel  to  the  Peoria  and  Oquawka  Railroad,  about  one  mile,  where  it 
crosses  to  the  opposite  side,  still  keeping  parallel  to  said  road  about  two 
miles,  leaving  it  at  the  point  where  it  diverges  to  ascend  the  Kickapoo 
valley.  Your  line  keeps  nearly  direct,  following  down  at  the  base  of 
the  river  bluffs  till  it  reaches  the  bottom  lands  nearly  opposite  the  City 
of  Pekin.  Here  it  angles  to  the  left,  and  crosses  the  Illinois  River  at 
the  upper  side  of  the  City  of  Pekin.  At  this  point  an  angle  is  made 
to  the  right,  passing  through  said  city  in  Second  street  to  its  southern 
boundary.  Prom  this  point  a  direct  line  was  run  for  about  fifteen 
miles,  striking  the  valley  of  Quiver  Creek  at  the  extreme  east  end  of 
Long  Point.  Here  an  angle  of  33°  was  made  to  the  right,  and  a  line 
run  nearly  direct  to  Havana  —  a  distance  of  about  fifteen  miles.  At 
this  point  an  angle  of  30°  was  made  to  the  left,  and  the  line  run  direct 
to  Bath,  ten  miles.  Here  another  angle  was  made  to  the  left  of  30°, 
and  a  direct  line  run  to  near  Chandlerville,  crossing  Sangamon  River 
on  the  line  between  ranges  nine  and  ten.  From  Chandlerville  the  line 
enters  the  Sangamon  bluffs  at  the  mouth  of  Hash  Hollow,  up  said  hol¬ 
low  about  one  mile,  thence  directly  toward  Virginia*  crossing  the  Lit¬ 
tle  Panther  Creek,  and  entering  the  valley  of  Job’s  Creek  about  three 
miles  northeasterly  from  Virginia,  thence  up  the  valley  of  said  creek 
about  one  mile,  thence  up  a  small  branch  leading  toward  Virginia, 
reaching  the  prairie  and  summit  of  the  table-lands  about  one  mile  north 
of  said  town.  Prom  this  point  an  angle  was  made  to  the  left,  running 
directly  south  through  Virginia  and  over  North  Prairie,  crossing  Little 
Indian  Creek  on  section  thirty-four  of  said  township,  still  keeping  the 
same  course,  and  crossing  the  Big  Indian  Creek  half  a  mile  east  of  the 
county  road  leading  from  Virginia  to  Jacksonville,  and  running  to  the 


4 


11  E  I*  0  It  T  . 


centre  of  section  three,  in  town  fifteen  north,  of  range  ten  west,  thence 
nearly  direct  to  Jacksonville  —  in  all  a  distance  of  nearly  eighty-one 
and  a  half  miles. 

TOPOGRAPHY,  PRODUCTIONS,  ETC. 

The  City  of  Peoria  is  situated  upon  a  beautiful  plain,  which  extends 
down  the  river  for  about  four  miles,  where  it  is  broken  off  by  the  Kick- 
apoo  Creek,  at  which  point  the  bluffs  and  bottom-lands  meet.  These 
bluffs  abound  in  inexhaustible  quantities  of  the  best  quality  of  stone- 
coal  for  thirty  miles  below  Peoria,  and  conveniently  situated  for  trans¬ 
portation  over  this  road.  The  lands  in  this  vicinity  are  covered  with  a 
heavy  growth  of  timber,  affording  timber  for  the  construction  and  wood 
for  the  future  operation  of  your  road. 

The  City  of  Pekin  is  situated  upon  the  east  bank  of  the  Illinois  Riv¬ 
er,  at  the  head  of  an  extensive  valley  differing  in  character  from  any 
other  part  of  the  State.  This  valley  extends  south  to  the  Sangamon 
River,  a  distance  of  fifty  miles,  and  will  average  at  least  twenty  miles 
in  width.  This  great  basin  is  gently  undulating,  averaging  probably 
thirty  feet  above  the  water  of  the  Illinois  River.  The  soil  is  rich  allu¬ 
vial,  partaking  of  mixed  quantities  of  sand  and  loam.  Near  the  river 
is  a  strip  of  country,  about  thirty  miles  in  length  and  averaging  three 
miles  wide,  of  barren  sandy  hills.  The  line  was  kept  outside  of  these 
sand-ridges  until  it  reaches  the  vicinity  of  Havana,  and  continues  to 
pass  over  them  till  it  passes  from  Bath  three  miles.  Aside  from  these 
sand-ridges,  no  part  of  Illinois  is  susceptible  of  so  easy  cultivation,  and 
no  country  in  the  world  can  produce  in  greater  abundance  all  the  ne¬ 
cessaries  of  life.  This  valley  alone  will  give  your  road  a  support  ample 
to  pay  for  its  building.  The  quantity  of  wheat  and  corn  raised  here  is 
unsurpassed  in  the  State,  and  the  samples  of  wheat  equal  to  that  raised 
in  Michigan  or  Western  New  York.  The  same  quality  of  wheat  is 
raised  in  Cass  and  Morgan  counties. 

After  leaving  the  valley  of  the  Sangamon  River,  the  line  passes  over 
a  broken,  hill)  country  for  about  six  miles,  where  it  enters  the  high 
prairie  near  the  town  of  Virginia.  This  prairie,  being  am  arm  of  Grand 
Prairie,  extends*east  a  hundred  miles.  At  the  point  of  crossing  it  is 
six  miles  wide,  extending  west  to  the  river  bluffs,  affording  a  large 
scope  of  productive  farms,  teeming  with  surplus  quantities  of  wheat,  • 
corn,  beef  and  pork,  all  of  which  would  pass  over  this  road  if  completed. 
South  of  this  prairie,  to  Jacksonville,  the  country  is  generally  uneven, 
interspersed  with  broken  barrens  and  beautiful  prairie. 


f  UIUC  * 

*  ubrarv 


4 


REPO R  T . 


1} 


Between  Chandlerville  and  Jacksonville  tlie  water-courses  are  all 
deep  and  expensive  crossing.  North  of  the  Sangamon  River,  and  to 
Pekin,  a  distance  of  fifty  miles,  only  two  streams  are  to  be  crossed,  the 
Quiver  and  Mackinaw  Creeks.  These  can  he  cheaply  crossed  with  pile 
bridges.  The  bridges  across  the  Illinois  and  Sangamon  Rivers  are  es¬ 
timated  for  first-class  masonry  in  the  abutments  and  piers,  and  “  Howe’s- 
Patent  Truss ”  superstructure;  the  one  across  the  Illinois  to  have  a 
pivot  draw,  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  length,  affording  ample  room 
for  the  free  passage  of  boats.  This  bridge  can  be  built  for  less  than 
seventy-five  thousand  dollars.  Between  Pekin  and  Peoria  the  Kicka- 
poo  is  the  only  stream  to  cross;  a  pile  bridge  can  be  used  here  costing 
less  than  three  thousand  dollars.  The  bridge  across  the  Sangamon 
River  will  cost  about  twelve  thousand  dollars. 

GRADES,  ETC. 

The  maximum  grade  used  north  of  Chandlerville,  the  first  sixty  miles, 
is  twenty-five  feet  to  the  mile  either  way.  A  very  large  proportion  of 
the  line  to  that  point  is  level,  and  less  than  ten  feet  to  the  mile.  The. 
!ine  can  be  made  straight,  or  practically  so,  between  Pekin  and  Chan¬ 
dlerville.  With  a  little  care  in  locating,  and  a  slight  additional  cost, 
the  maximum  grade  may  be  reduced  to  twenty  feet  per  mile,  making 
it  one  of  the  easiest  operated  roads  in  the  country.  Ballast  being  read- 

i 

ily  at  hand  all  this  distance,  will  make  it  also  a  cheap  road  to  fit  up  and 
keep  in  repair. 

Between  Chandlerville  and  Jacksonville  the  grades  are  greatly  in- 
ereased  —  sixty  feet  to  the  mile  being  the  maximum  ascending  south, 
and  fifty  feet  per  mile  ascending  north.  These  grades  are  not  used  for 
more  than  a  mile  at  any  one  inclination,  and  would  not,  therefore,  de¬ 
tract  from  the  power  of  the  engine  so  much  as  if  such  grades  were  used 
several  miles  together.  These  high  grades  being  near  the  lower  end  of 
your  road,  will  enable  those  operating  it  to  start  with  a  train  of  freight 
partly  made  up,  finishing  out  with  an  almost  indefinite  amount  north  of 
the  Sangamon  bluffs.* 

GENERAL  OBSERVATIONS. 

The  time  has  long  since  gone  by  when  arguments  are  necessary  to  show 
the  general  benefits  of  railroads.  That  a  country  like  the  one  through 
which  this  line  passes  will  derive  most  beneficial  results  no  one  can 
doubt.  Its  entire  length  passes  over  a  country  rich  in  agricultural 
products,  and  developed  to  an  extent  sufficient  to  warrant'  a  lucrative 


6 


REPORT. 


business  to  your  road  as  soon  as  it  can  be  made  ready  for  a  transporta¬ 
tion  business.  Indeed,  a  railroad  built  here  would  long  since  have  paid 
large  dividends.  The  Illinois  River  has  been  of  service  in  developing 
the  country,  and  has  also  been  the  means  of  sending  forward  large 
quantities  of  grain  and  merchandise,  while  the  business  of  the  country 
could  be  done  upon  the  ‘  stand-still  ’  system  and  its  products  sold  at 
nominal  prices,  the  purchaser  holding  his  grain  months  awaiting  a  re¬ 
sumption  of  navigation.  But  in  this  day  of  enterprise  a  different  mode 
of  transportation  is  not  only  desirable  but  absolutely  necessary.  With¬ 
out  this  railroad  your  country  can  not  progress;  your  real  estate  must 
remain  stationary  or  recede  in  price ;  your  agricultural  products  will 
bring  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  per  cent,  less  price  than  those  of  neigh¬ 
boring  districts  no  nearer  market;  enterprise  and  intelligence  will  seek 
other  points,  improving  less  favored  places,  leaving  you  destitute  of  all 
the  elements  for  a  happy  home. 

The  local  transportation  must  at  all  seasons  of  the  year  be  good. 
The  early  fall  trade  will  commence  with  the  transportation  of  wheat, 
directly  after  harvest ;  then  follows  the  transportation  of  pork  and 
beef;  cattle  will  be  sent  daily  through  the  winter,  with  corn  the  year 
round.  This  road  forms  the  interior  link  of  a  main  trunk  north-and- 
south  railroad,  fixed  by  nature  in  such  a  position  that  no  project  can 
detract  from  its  business  or  its  value.  Occupying,  as  it  does,  a  central 
position  in  the  Illinois  valley,  its  grades  are  comparatively  slight  north 
of  the  Sangamon  River.  Engines  of  light  draft  will  be  able  to  trans¬ 
port  large  and  heavy  trains  to  all  points  north.  When  completed,  your 
whole  country,  comprising  nearly  all  that  lies  adjacent  to  the  river,  and 
for  twenty  miles  each  side,  will  have  a  direct  road  to  Chicago,  over  the 
Peoria  and  Bureau  Valley  Railroad  and  the  Chicago  and  Rock  Island 
Railroad,  as  well  as  with  the  same  lines  through  Iowa  and  the  Upper 
Mississippi,  also  with  the  southern  portion  of  Iowa  over  the  Peoria  and 
Oquawka  Railroad ;  from  which  countries  your  road  will  derive  a  good 
trade,  as  it  will  be  the  most  direct  line  of  railroad  between  Iowa  and 
St.  Louis  likely  to  be  built  for  a  long  time  to  come.  At  this  time  three 
daily  trains  leave  Peoria  for  Chicago  and  Rock  Island,  making  at  once 
a  line  completed  *to  those  .points.  The  transportation  of  heavy  trains 
must  inevitably  pass  over  the  Bureau  Valley  and  Rock  Island  Rail¬ 
roads,  from  the  fact  that  the  distance  between  Peoria  and  both  of  the 
above-named  points  can  be  but  very  little  contracted,  and  any  other 
route  must  pass  over  high  and  rolling  grounds,  causing  expensive  work 
and  steep  grades.  Thus  vour  road  completed,  and  it  holds  the  posse?- 


R  £  1*  0  R  T  . 


«*r 

/ 


alon  of  all  the  freighting  destined  for  a  northern  market  between  St. 
Louis  and  Rock  Island  and  the  Upper  Mississippi  River.  The  great 
desire  for  a  railroad  between  St.  Louis  and  Rock  Island  will  thus  be 
fully  satisfied,  and  better  accommodated  by  this  than  any  other  way. 
With  this  line  completed  from  Peoria  to  Jacksonville,  and  the  Jack¬ 
sonville  and  Carrollton  road  finished  from  Jacksonville  to  Alton,  which, 
in  all  probability,  will  be  done  by  the  time  your  road  is  completed,  all 
will  be  accomplished ;  thus  giving  you  a  direct  line  to  St.  Louis,  and 
offering  all  points  upon  the  numerous  connected  lines  a  choice  between 
the  northern  and  southern  markets. 

It  will  be  seen  that  your  road  will  occupy  about  eighty  miles  of  the 
very  heart  of  the  country  midway  between  the  two  great  commercial 
marts  of  the  West,  on  what  must  appear  to  every  enlightened  business 
mind  a  great  natural  through  route,  with  Chicago  and  the  whole  Upper 
Mississippi  country  at  the  north  —  passing  through  the  City  of  Peoria, 
second  to  no  other  city  in  the  State  (excepting  Chicago),  with  its  sur¬ 
rounding  country  and  system  of  railroads,  through  Jacksonville,  and 
numerous  other  towns,  its  entire  length,  of  vast  business  capacity  — 
with  so  many  advantages,  can  it  be  possible  that  your  road  should  not 
be  built  at  once?  When  built,  it  will  develop  your  country,  enhance 
the  price  of  all  its  products,  and  add  value  to  its  soil,  as  well  as  be  a 
first-rate  investment  for  dividends. 

This  enterprise  should  receive  the  fostering  care  and  aid  of  the  Chi¬ 
cago  and  Rock  Island  Railroad  Company,  as  it  will  add  a  large  busi¬ 
ness  to  their  roads.  It  will  also  give  the  Peoria  and  Oquawka  Railroad 
additional  business  between  Burlington  and  Peoria,  with  a  view  of 
reaching  St.  Louis  over  this  route.  To  the  City  of  Peoria  and  its  busi¬ 
ness  men  this  road  will  be  of  great  importance.  This  project,  started 
upon  favorable  plans  and  basis,  insures  to  Peoria  a  system  of  railroads 
second  to  no  other  city  in  the  State.  Starting  this  line  at  Peoria,  and 
running  down  the  west  side  of  the  river  to  a  point  opposite  Pekin,  not 
only  insures  to  Peoria  a  direct  road  to  St.  Louis,  but  it  at  the  same 
time  builds  ten  miles  of  road  directly  toward  the  heart  of  Fulton  and 
Schuyler  counties,  insuring  a  road  also  at  once  to  those  counties. 
These  two  roads  safely  secured  to  Peoria,  gives  her  th’e  finishing  touch. 
With  her  roads  north  to  Chicago  and  the  Upper  Mississippi,  east  to 
Philadelphia,  south  to  St.  Louis,  southwesterly  through  Fulton,  Schuy¬ 
ler  and  adjoining  counties,  and  west  to  Burlington  and  Oquawka  on 
the  Mississippi,  she  will  be  placed  high  on  the  road  to  wealth,  a  place 
sought  after  by  capitalists  to  invest  their  money.  Her  central  position, 


4 


8 


REl'O  R  T  . 


x 


located  in  the  midst  of  a  rich,  agricultural  country  and  central  in  the 
great  coal-basin  of  Illinois,  all  together  will  place  her  above  suspicion 
and  out  of  the  reach  of  local  jealousies. 

This  project  also  places  the  City  of  Pekin  in  her  most  favorable  po¬ 
sition.  With  it  she  stands  upon  a  main  trunk  line,  giving  her  the 
choice  of  both  a  north  and  south  market  at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  It 
also  secures  her  investments  in  a  feasible  route,  sure  to  be  built,  ren¬ 
dering  her  all  needful  facilities  for  transportation,  and  securing  reason¬ 
able  dividends  to  meet  accruing  interests.  The  same  arguments  apply 
with  equal  force  to  the  whole  country  between  Peoria  and  St.  Louis. 

Chicago  and  St.  Louis  must  ever  b.c  the  two  great  natural  markets 
of  the  Northwest.  Wheat,  corn,  beef  and  pork,  the  great  staples  of 
the  country,  in  the  main  must  be  sold  and  reshipped  at  one  of  these 
two  points ;  and  with  these  facts  staring  every  one  in  the  face,  it  is 
astonishing  to  see  with  what  tenacity  many  are  still  disposed  to  favor 
the  bubble  systems  of  ( thirty-six  \  A  line  of  road  passing  over  a  sim¬ 
ilar  country,  a  country  producing  exactly  the  same  staples,  and  on  the 
same  parallel  of  latitude,  without  a  market  in  a  thousand  miles,  and 
passing  over  mountain  ranges  for  hundreds  of  miles,  has,  since  that  pe¬ 
riod,  found  its  advocates  at  nearly  every  town  upon  the  Illinois  River 
between  LaSalle  and  St.  Louis;  while  the  natural  route,  and  the  inev¬ 
itable  market  near  at  home,  are  lost  sight  of  for  visionary  routes,  that 
can  not  be  built,  and  if  built  would  not  pay  for  the  operation,  serving 
only  as  spur-tracks  to  more  judiciously  located  roads,  and  handling  the 
freight  while  others  do  the  transportation  and  receive  all  the  benefits. 

There  is  abundant  wealth  in  this  portion  of  the  State  to  secure  a 
healthy  system  of  railroads  and  give  every  town  of  sufficient  importance 
an  outlet,  if  properly  applied.  The  system  of  railroads  in  the  State  is 
also  sufficiently  developed  that  any  place  may  see  its  easiest  way  out  on 
the  most  favorable  route;  yet  some  points  choose  the  way  calculated  to 
defeat  their  object.  Let  all  the  towns  and  places  through  which  this 
line  passes  canvass  fully  all  the  projects  presented  to  them,  look  at  the 
map,  see  where  their  market  lies,  and  then  with  one  united  pull  work 
for  their  only  interest,  and  at  once  subscribe  a  sufficient  amount  to 
build  the  Illinois  River  Railroad.  Let  the  line  be  started  at  once,  with 
a  good,  reliable  local  base  sufficient  to  grade  and  bridge  it,  and  it  is 
safe  to  presume  that  the  road  can  be  built. 

There  is  no  heavy  work  between  Peoria  and  Chandlerville,  with  the 
exception  of  the  river  bridge  at  Pekin.  The  entire  line  may  be  made 
ready  for  the  iron,  the  first  sixty  miles,  in  six  months.  With  the  iron 


REPORT. 


9 


on  hand  at  that  time,  it  may  he  put  in  operation  to  the  base  of  the 
Sangamon  bluffs  in  time  for  the  coming  harvest ;  the  road  finished  to 
this  point  will  secure  the  trade  .of  Tazewell,  Mason,  Cass  and  part  of 
Morgan  counties,  and  at  onbe  earn  a  sufficient  income  to  meet  ail  ex¬ 
penses  and  the  interest  upon  its  cost.  Between  Chandlerville  and 
Jacksonville  are  several  points  of  heavy  work,  requiring  more  time  to 
fit  the  road  ready  for  the  superstructure.  It  should  be  put  under  con¬ 
tract  between  Virginia  and  Chandlerville  at  as  early  a  day  as  possible. 

The  greatly  enhanced  price  of  labor  and  supplies,  as  well  as  every 
article  used  in  the  construction  of  railroads,  within  the  past  few  years, 
will  not  justify  lower  estimates.  I  consider  this  a  feasible  project,  and 
think  all  estimates  should  be  made  without  deception.  The  country 
between  the  Sangamon  River  and  Jacksonville,  at  any  point  below  Pe¬ 
tersburg,  cross  it  where  you  may,  is  rough,  and  presents  an  expensive 
route  for  a  railroad.  This  line  crosses  at  as  favorable  a  place  as  can  be 
found  in  the  country,  and  over  the  shortest  distance  of  undulating 
ground.  It  can  not  be  fitted  for  the  superstructure  of  a  railroad  for 
less  than  ten  thousand  dollars  per  mile;  while,  taking  the  entire 
distance  of  eighty-one  miles  from  Peoria  to  Jacksonville,  it  will  average 
eight  thousand  five  hundred  and  forty  dollars  — -  less  than  the  average 
cost  of  Illinois  railroads.  No  part  of  the  State  presents  a  point  where 
a  road  can  be  made  ready  for  the  superstructure  any  cheaper  than  this 
one  between  Pekin  and  the  Sangamon  River,  a  distance  of  fifty  miles. 

The  buildings  for  your  road  may  at  first  be  of  a  temporary  character, 
and  consequently  cheaply  built.  The  equipments  may  be  curtailed  at 
first ;  yet,  to  do  a  good  business,  or  half  that  may  be  offered,  you  will 
need  much  power  and  many  freight  cars.  The  right  of  way  can  not  be 
estimated  upon  any  reliable  data;  for  this  road  passing,  as  it  does, 
through  a  country  nearly  perishing  for  the  want  of  a  road,  it  would 
seem  that  in  most  cases  the  right  of  way  will  be  cheerfully  given ;  but, 
strange  as  it  may  seem,  you  will  find  persons  anxious  to  be  paid  large 
sums  for  being  enriched.  The  fencing  for  a  large  portion  of  the  way 
may  be  deferred  for  a  number  of  years ;  some  places  must  be  fenced  at 
once.  The  fencing  will  cost  from  eight  to  nine  hundred  dollars  per  mile. 

The  following  exhibit  will  show  you  the  estimated  cost  of  your  road : 


i 


ESTIMATE. 


Graduation,  Masonry,  Bridging',  etc., 

Estimated  cost  of  one  mile  of  Superstructure  — 


100  Tons  Iron,  at  $75,  $7,500 

2200  Cross-ties,  at  50c.,  1,100 

6C0  Chairs,  at  35c.,  210 

5000  Pounds  Spikes,  at  6£c.,  325 

Laying  Track,  300 

Distributing  Material,  400 

- $9,835 

81.5  Miles  Main  Track,  ? 

3.5  “  Side  “  < 


85  Miles  Superstructure,  at  $9,835, 
50  Frogs  and  Switches,  at  $75, 

Ballasting, . 

Equipments,  .... 
Buildings,  ..... 
Right  of  Way,  - 

Engineering,  etc.,  - 


$695, 93P 


$835,975 

3,750 

- —  839,725 

$42,500 

233-400 

69,000 

50,000 

25,000 

-  419,900 


Total  Cost  complete, . $1,955,555 


Average  Cost  per  mile  complete,  $24,000 
Average  Graduation  per  mile,  8,540 

The  foregoing  estimates  may  be  reduced  as  follows :  About  three1 
miles  of  the  Peoria  and  Oquawka  Railroad  will  answer  to  operate  joint¬ 
ly  for  a  time,  if  an  arrangement  can  be  effected  with  that  company. 
Such  an  arrangement  will  save  about  forty  thousand  dollars.  The  Pe¬ 
oria  and  Hannibal  Railroad  Company  should  join  you  in  building  from 
Peoria  to  opposite  Pekin,  thereby  building  and  owning  one-half  of  the 
line  that  distance.  This  would  also  relieve  you  about  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  in  the  aggregate,  or  about  fifty  thousand  in  the  grad¬ 
uation.  It  would  seem  that  mutual  interest  will  cause  such  arrange 
ments  to  be  effected  without  difficulty. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

W.  G.  WHEATON,  Engineer. 

Peoria,  November,  1856, 


ACT  OF  INCORPORATION. 


AN  ACT  TO  CONSTRUCT  A  RAILROAD  JFROM  JACKSONVILLE,  IN 
MORGAN  COUNTY,  TO  LASALLE,  IN  LASALLE  COUNTY. 


Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  People  of  the  State  of  Illinois ,  repre¬ 
sented  in  the  General  Assembly:  That  Gedrge  E.  Walker,  William 
Paul,  Samuel  L.  Fleming,  Theodore  Perry,  William  Fisher,  William 
S.  Mans,  Gideon  H.  Rupert,  Philo  H.  Thompson,  George  N.  Walker, 
N.  J.  Rockwell,  James  M.  Ruggles,  F.  S.  D.  Marshall,  Benjamin  Bus¬ 
by,  James  Dunlap,  Joseph  J.  Cassell,  Alexander  McDonald,  and  their 
associates,  successors  and  assigns,  are  hereby  created  a  body  corporate 
and  politic,  under  the  name  and  style  of  the  ‘Illinois  River  Railroad 
Company ;,  with  perpetual  succession,  and  by  that  name  be  and  they 
are  hereby  made  capable,  in  law  and  in  equity,  to  sue  and  be  sued, 
plead  and  be  impleaded,  defend  and  be  defended,  in  any  court  of  law 
and  equity  in  this  state,  or  in  any  other  plane  ;  to  make,  have  and  use 
a  common  seal,  and  the  same  to  renew  and  alter  at  pleasure ;  and  shall 
be  and  are  hereby  vested  with  all  the  powers,  privileges  and  immuni¬ 
ties  which  are  or  may  be  necessary  to  carry  into  effect  the  purposes  and 
objects  of  this  act  as  hereinafter  set  forth;  and  the  said  company  arc 
hereby  authorized  and  empowered  to  locate  and  construct,  and  finally 
complete,  a  railroad  from  the  town  of  Jacksonville,  in  Morgan  county, 
via  Virginia, in  Cass  county,  to  the. town  of  Bath,  Mason  county,  and 
thence  by  way  of  Pek’n,  in  Tazewell  county,  Lacon,  in  Marshall  coun¬ 
ty,  to  Latoalle,  in  LaSalle  county;  and  for  this  purpose  said  company 
are  authorized,  upon  the  most  eligible  and  proper  route,  to  lay  out  their 
said  railroad  wide  enough  for  a  single  or  double  track,  through  the 
entire  length,  and  may  enter  upon  and  take  a  strip  of  land  not  exceed¬ 
ing  one  hundred  feet  in  width,  and  for  the  purpose  of  cuttings,  em¬ 
bankments,  procuring  stone  and  gravel,  may  take  as  much  land  as  may 
be  necessary  for  the  proper  construction  and  security  of  said  road. 

§  2.  The  capital  stock  of  said  company  shall  consist  of  one  million  of 
dollars,  and  may  be  increased  to  two  millions  of  dollars,  to  be  divided 
into  shares  of  one  hundred  dollars  each.  The  immediate  government 
and  direction  of  said  company  shall  be  vested  in  five  directors,  who 
shall  be  chosen  by  the  stockholders  of  said  company  in  the  manner 
hereinafter  provided,  who  shall  hold  their  office  for  one  year  after  their 


12 


C  II  A  R  T  E  R  . 


election,  and  until  otliers  shall  be  duly  elected  and  qualified  to  take 
their  places  as  directors,  a  majority  of  whom  shall  form  a  quorum  for 
the  transaction  of  business,  shall  elect  one  of  their  number  to  be  the 
president  of  the  company  •  that  said  board  of  directors  shall  have  pow¬ 
er  to  appoint  all  necessary  clerks,  secretaries,  and  other  officers  neces¬ 
sary  in  the  transaction  of  the  business  of  said  corporation. 

§  3.  The  said  corporation  is  hereby  authorized,  by  their  agents,  sur¬ 
veyors  and  engineers,  to  cause  such  examinations  and  surveys  to  be 
made  of  the  ground  and  country  between  the  points  herein  named  as 
shall  be  necessary  to  determine  the  most  advantageous  route  for  the 
proper  line  or  course  whereon  to  construct  their  said  railroad )  and  it 
shall  be  lawful  for  said  company  to  enter  upon,  and  take  possession  of, 
and  use  all  such  lands  and  real  estate  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  con¬ 
struction  and  maintenance  of  their  said  railroad  :  provided,  that  all 
lands  and^real  estate  entered  upon,  and  taken  possession  of,  and  used 
by  said  corporation  for  the  purposes  and  accommodation  of  said  rail¬ 
road,  or  upon  which  the  site  of  said  railroad  shall  have  been  located  or 
determined  by  the  said  corporation,  shall  be  paid  for  by  said  company 
in  damages,  if  any  be  sustained  by  the  owner  or  owners  thereof  by  the 
use  of  the  same  for  the  purposes  of  the  said  railroad ;  and  all  lands  en¬ 
tered  upon  and  taken  for  the  use  of  the  said  corporation,  which  are  not 
donated  to  said  company,  shall  be  obtained  and  paid  for  in  the  manner 
provided  for  taking  lands  for  the  construction  of  public  roads,  canals, 
and  other  public  works,  as  described  in  the  act  concerning  right  of 
way,  approved  March  3d,  1845. 

§  4.  If  any  person  shall  willfully,  maliciously  or  wantonly,  and  con¬ 
trary  to  law,  obstruct  the  passage  of  any  car  on  said  railroad  or  any 
part  thereof,  or  any  thing  belonging  thereto,  or  shall  damage,  break  or 
destroy  any  part  of  the  said  railroad,  or  implements,  or  buildings,  he, 
she  or  they,  or  any  person  assisting,  shall  forfeit  and  pay  to  said  com¬ 
pany,  for  every  such  offense,  treble  the  amount  of  damages  that  shall 
be  proved  before  competent  courts  has  been  sustained,  and  be  sued  for 
in  the  name  and  behalf  of  said  company ;  and  such  offender  or  offend¬ 
ers  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  shall  be  liable  to  in¬ 
dictment  in  the  same  manner  as  other  indictments  are  found  in  any 
county  or  counties  where  such  offense  shall  have  been  committed  ;  and 
upon  conviction,  every  such  offender  shall  be  liable  to  a  fine  not  exceed¬ 
ing  five  thousand  dollars,  for  the  use  of  the  county  where  such  indict¬ 
ment  may  be  found. 

§  5.  The  time  of  holding  the  annual  meeting  of  said  company  for  the 
election  of  directors  shall  be  fixed  and  determined  by  the  by-laws  of 
said  company ;  and  at  all  meetings  each  stockholder  shall  be  entitled  to 
a  vote,  in  person  or  by  lawful  proxy,  one  vote  for  each  share  of  stock 
he,  she  or  they  may  hold  bona  fide  in  said  company. 

[Sections  6  and  7  repealed .] 

§  8.  The  said  company  may  take  and  transport  upon  said  railroad 
any  person  or  persons,  merchandise  or  other  property,  by  the  force  and 


C  II  ARTKR. 


IS 

power  of  steam  and  animals,  or  any  combination  of  them,  and  may  fix, 
establish,  take  and  receive  such  rates  of  toll  for  such  passengers  and 
property  transported  upon  the  same  as  the  directors  shall  from  time  to 
time  establish;  and  the  directors  are  hereby  authorized  and  empowered 
to  make  all  necessary  rules,  by-laws,  regulations  and  ordinances  that 
they  may  deem  necessary  and  expedient  to  accomplish  the  designs 
and  purposes  and  to  carry  into  effect  all  the  provisions  of  this  act,  and 
for  the  transfer  and  assignment  of  its  stock,  which  is  hereby  declared 
personal  property  and  transferable  in  such  manner  as  shall  be  provided 
for  by  the  by-laws  and  ordinances  of  said  corporation. 

§  9.  The  directors  of  said  company,  after  the  same  is  organized,  shall 
have  power  to  open  books  in  the  manner  prescribed  in  the  sixth  section 
of  this  act,  and  to  fill  up  the  additional  one  million  of  dollars  of  stock, 
or  any  part  thereof,  at  such  times  as  they  may  deem  it  for  the  interest 
of  said  company ;  and  all  the  installments  required  to  be  paid  on  the 
stock  originally  to  be  taken,  and  what  may  be  taken  to  increase  said 
capital  stock,  shall  be  paid  at  such  times  and  in  such  sums  as  said  di¬ 
rectors  may  prescribe. 

§  10.  In  case  of  the  death,  resignation  or  removal  of  the  president, 
vice-president  or  any  director  at  any  time  between  the  annual  elections, 
such  vacancy  may  be  filled  for  the  remainder  of  the  year,  whenever 
they  may  happen,  by  the  board  of  directors  ;  and  in  case  of  the  absence 
of  the  president  and  vice-president,  the  board  of  directors  shall  have 
power  to  appoint  a  president  pro  tempore ,  who  shall  have  and  exercise 
such  powers  and  functions  as  the  by-laws  of  the  said  corporation  may 
provide.  In  case  it  should  at  any  time  happen  that  an  election  shall 
not  be  held  on  any  day  on  which,  in  pursuance  of  this  act,  it  ought  to 
be  held,  the  said  corporation  shall  not,  for  that  cause,  be  deemed,  dis¬ 
solved,  but  such  election  shall  be  held  at  any  other  time  directed  by 
the  by-laws  of  said  corporation. 

§  11.  That  when  the  lands  of  any  femme  covert ,  person  under  age, 
non  compos  mentis ,  or  out  of  this  state,  shall  be  taken  in  the  construc¬ 
tion  of  said  railroad,  as  is  provided  by  this  act,  the  said  corporation 
shall  pay  the  amount  that  shall  be  awarded  as  due  to  the  said  last  men¬ 
tioned  owners  respectively,  whenever  the  same  shall  be  lawfully  de¬ 
manded.  That  to  ascertain  the  amount  to  be  paid  to  the  persons 
named  in  this  section  for  the  lands  taken  for  the  use  of  said  corpora¬ 
tion,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  judge  of  the  judicial  circuit  within 
which  said  landjmay  be  situated,  upon  notice  given  to  him  by  the  said 
corporation,  to  appoint  three  commissioners,  to  be  persons  not  interest¬ 
ed  in  the  matter,  to  determine  the  damages  which  the  owner  or  owners 
of  the  land  or  real  estate  so  entered  upon  by  the  said  corporation  has 
or  have  sustained  by  the  occupation  of  the  same ;  and  it  shall  be  the 
duty  of  the  said  commissioners,  or  a  majority  of  them,  to  deliver  to 
said  corporation  a  written  statement  of  the  awards  they  shall  make, 
with  a  description  of  the  land  or  real  estate  appraised,  to  be  recorded 
in  the  clerk’s  office  in  the  county  in  which  the  land  or  real  estate  so 
appraised  shall  lie,  and  then  the  said  corporation  shall  be  deemed  to  be 


€  21  A  It  T  E  R  . 


14 

seized  and  possessed  in  the  fee  simple  of  all  such  lands  or  real  estate  ns 
shall  have  been  appraised  by  the  said  commissioners. 

§  12.  That  whenever  it  shall  be  necessary  for  the  construction  of 
said  railroad  to  intersect  or  cross  any  water-course,  or  anyroad  or  high¬ 
way  lying  between  the  points  aforesaid,  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  corpo¬ 
ration  to  construct  their  railroad  across  or  upon  the  same :  'provided , 
that  the  corporation  shall  restore  the  water-course,  or  road  or  highway 
thus  intersected  to  its  former  state,  or  in  a  sufficient  manner  not  to 
have  injured  its  usefulness. 

§  13.  The  capital  stock  of  said  company  may  be  increased  from  one 
million  of  dollars  to  two  million  five  hundred  thousand  dollars,  from 
itime  to  time,  by  new  subscriptions,  if  such  increase  shall  be  found  ne¬ 
cessary  to  fulfill  the  intention  of  this  act,  upon  the  directors  for  the 
time  being  giving  the  notice  as  herein  required  previous  to  the  opening 
the  subscription  books  for  the  original  stock  herein;  and  that  all  stock 
•of  said  corporation  shall  be  deemed  personal  property,  and  transferable 
in  such  manner  as  the  said  corporation  shall  by  its  by-laws  prescribe. 

§  14.  That  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  directors  to  require  payment 
.of  the  sums  subscribed  to  the  capital  stock  at  such  times,  and  in  such 
proportions,  and  on  such  conditions,  as  they  shall  deem  fit,  under  the 
penalty  of  the  forfeiture  of  all  previous  payments  thereon,  and  shall 
give  notice  of  the  payments  thus  required,  and  of  the  place  and  time 
when  and  where  the  same  are  to  be  paid,  at  least  ninety  days  previous 
to  the  payment  of  the  same,  in  some  public  newspaper  of  this  state 
published  in  some  one  of  the  places  where  the  notices  for  the  opening 
the  books  for  subscription  to  the  capital  stock  may  have  been  pub¬ 
lished. 

§  15.  Said  company  is  hereby  authorized,  from  time  to  time,  to  bor¬ 
row  such  sum  or  sums  of  money  as  may  be  necessary  for  completing 
and  finishing  or  operating  their  said  railroad,  and  to  issue  and  dispose 
of  their  bonds  in  denominations  of  not  less  than  five  hundred  dollars, 
bearing  a  rate  of  interest  not  exceeding  seven  per  centum  per  annum, 
for  any  amount  so  borrowed,  and  to  mortgage  the  corporate  property 
and  franchises,  or  convey  the  same  by  deed  of  trust,  to  secure  the  pay¬ 
ment  of  any  debt  contracted  by  said  company  for  the  purposes  afore¬ 
said.  And  the  directors  of  said  company  may  confer  on  any  bondhold¬ 
er  of  any  bond  issued  for  money  borrowed  as  aforesaid  the  right  to  con¬ 
vert  the  principal  due  or  owing  thereon  into  stocks  of  said  company,  at 
.any  time  not  exceeding  ten  years  from  the  date  of  the  bond,  under 
such  regulations  as  the  directors  of  said  company  may  see  fit  to  adopt; 
and  all  sales  of  such  bonds  that  may  be  made  at  less  than  their  par 
value  shall  be  good  and  valid  and  binding  upon  said  corporation  as  if 
said  bonds  had  been  sold  for  the  full  amount  thereof. 

§  16.  The  width  of  said  railroad  is  to  be  determined  by  the  said  cor¬ 
poration  within  the  limits  prescribed  by  the  first  section  of  this  act. 

§  IT.  This  act  shall  be  in  force  from  and  after  its  passage,  and  said 
company  shall  commence  said  work  within  three  years,  and  complete 
the  same  within  ten  years  from  the  passage  of  this  act. 


CHARTER.  15 

§  18.  Said  company  shall  have  power  to  unite  its  railroad  with  the 
railroad  which  may  be  constructed  from  Jacksonville,  in  Morgan  coun¬ 
ty,  to  Alton,  in  Madison  county,  by  the  Jacksonville  and  Carrollton 
Kailroad  Company,  or  any  other  company,  and  for  that  purpose  full 
power  is  hereby  given  to  said  company  to  make  and  execute  such  con¬ 
tracts  with  any  company  as  will  secure  the  objects  of  connecting  with 
any  railroad  built  or  to  be  built  at  Jacksonville. 

Approved  February  11,  185J. 


AN1  ACT  TO  AMEND  AN  ACT  ENTITLED  “AN  ACT  TO  CONSTRUCT 
A  RAILROAD  FROM  JACKSONVILLE,  IN  MORGAN  COUNTY,  TO 
LASALLE,  IN  LASALLE  COUNTY.” 


Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  People  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  rep¬ 
resented  in  the  General  Assembly :  That  James  Dunlap,  James  M. 
Ruggles  and  Gideon  H.  Rupert  are  hereby  appointed  commissioners, 
who,  or  a  majority  of  whom,  after  a  meeting  duly  called  by  twenty 
days’  notice  in  newspapers  published  in  Morgan,  Mason  and  Tazewell 
counties,  are  hereby  authorized  to  open  subscription  books  for  subscrib¬ 
ing  to  the  capital  stock  of  said  company,  at  such  places  as  they  shall 
deem  proper,  and  shall  keep  said  books  open  until  one  hundred  thou¬ 
sand  dollars  of  said  capital  stock  shall  be  taken.  Said  commissioners 
shall  require  each  individual  subscriber  to  pay  ten  dollars  on  each  share 
subscribed,  at  the  time  of  subscribing,  and  shall  require  counties,  towns 
or  cities  subscribing  to  issue  bonds  to  the  amount  of  ten  dollars  per 
share  at  the  time  of  subscribing.  Said  commissioners  shall  immediate- 
ly  thereafter  call  a  meeting  of  stockholders,  by  giving  thirty  days’  no¬ 
tice  in  some  newspaper  printed  in  the  counties  of  Morgan,  Mason  or 
Tazewell,  and  at  such  meeting  it  shall  be  lawful  to  elect  the  directors 
of  said  company,  and  when  the  directors  of  said  company  are  chosen, 
the  said  commissioners  shall  deliver  said  subscription  books,  with  all 
sums  of  money  and  all  bonds  received  by  them  as  commissioners,  to 
said  directors.  No  person  shall  be  a  director  in  said  company  unless 
he  shall  own  at  least  live  shares  of  the  caoital  stock  of  said  company. 

§  2.  Said  company  shall  have  the  power  to  unite  or  consolidate  its 
railroad  with  any  other  railroad  now7  constructed,  or  which  may  here¬ 
after  be  constructed  within  this  state  on  the  route  of  said  road,  or  at 
the  terminus  of  said  road,  upon  such  terms  as  may  be  mutually  agreed 
upon  by  the  companies  so  connecting;  and  for  that  purpose  full  power 
is  hereby  given  to  said  company  to  make  and  execute  such  contracts 
with  any  other  company  as  will  secure  the  objects  of  such  connection  ; 
and  said  company  shall  not  be  required  to  build  that  portion  of  said 


4 


16 


CHARTER. 


road  north  of  such  connection  as  may  be  agreed  upon,  unless  a  majori¬ 
ty  of  the  directors  of  said  company  shall  be  in  favor  of  extending  and 
completing  said  road  north  of  said  connection. 

§  3.  The  right  of  way  and  the  real  estate  purchased  by  said  compa¬ 
ny,  whether  by  mutual  agreement  or  otherwise,  or  which  shall  become 
the  property  of  the  company  by  the  operation  of  law,  shall,  upon  the 
payment  of  the  amount  due  to  the  owner  or  owners  of  said  lands,  be¬ 
come  the  property  of  the  said  company  in  fee  simple. 

§  4.  Sections  six  and  seven  of  the  act  to  which  this  is  an  amendment 
are  hereby  repealed,  and  all  parts  of  said  act  conflicting  with  the  fore¬ 
going  amendatory  act. 

[Sections  5  and  6  relate  to  a  branch  called  the  Mississippi  and  Illi¬ 
nois  River  Railroad.  ] 

*  r 

§  7.  This  act  shall  not  be  so  construed  as  to  impair,  or  in  any  wise 
affect  the  vote  already  taken  for  subscribing  stock  in  the  ‘  Illinois  River 
Railroad ’  by  the  counties  of  Cass  and  Mason;  and  all  proceedings  here¬ 
tofore  had  by  said  company  are  hereby  declared  to  be  legal  and  binding 
in  law  and  equity. 

§  8.  This  act  is  hereby  declared  to  be  a  public  act,  and  shall  be  in 
force  from  and  after  its  passage. 

Approved  March  1,  1854. 


Present  Officers  of  the  Ill.  River  Railroad  Company. 


R.  S.  THOMAS,  t 

N.  B.  THOMPSON,  I 

CHARLES  CHANDLER,  Directors. 

HARVEY  O’NEAL, 

ISAAC  VAIL,  J 

R.  S.  THOMAS,  President,  Virginia,  Cass  County. 

M.  II.  L.  SCHOOLEY,  Secretary,  Virginia,  Cass  County. 
THOMAS  PLASTER,  Treasurer,  Chandlerville,  Cass  County, 


